Copy a list !

I make this mistake all to often:

15:37 < hendry> I feel stupid asking this. How do I remove items from a list while traversing it? http://nevow.dabase.com/2

15:37 < hendry> I could append indexes to another list and remove it later... but, isn't there quicker way?

15:38 < bdash> hendry: iterate over a copy of the list

15:38 < bdash> hendry: for i in l[:]:  would do that for you

15:40 < hendry> bdash: so it does

15:41 < hendry> bdash: [:] # stange syntax... i tried, copy = l and for i in copy and didn't work. trying to understand .. hmmm

15:41 < jml> hendry: it's the splicing syntax.

15:41 < bdash> hendry: what it does is slice the list

15:42 < bdash> hendry: it just happens to be a slice that contains the entire list

15:42 < jml> slice. yeah

15:42 < bdash> hendry: that it copies the list is almost a side-effect

15:42 < bdash> hendry: a documented, intentional, side-effect mind you

15:43 < hendry> bdash: but this "copy" doesn't work http://nevow.dabase.com/4

15:44 < bdash> hendry: that's because copy isn't actually a copy

15:44 < bdash> hendry: "copy" is just another name for the same list

15:45 < bdash> hendry: http://starship.python.net/crew/mwh/hacks/objectthink.html explains the difference very clearly

15:45 < hendry> so if I want to make copy, I need to use this splice syntax ?

15:46 < bdash> hendry: it might be easier to understand if you do list(l) to make a copy

15:49 < hendry> bdash: thanks for your time

15:50 < bdash> hendry: any time :-)